Umbrella



April 2, 1935. F. KAHN UMBRELLA Filed July 21, 1931 7 INVENTOR. v

L7 fl y y T' l a .10 wind. .Whenqthe umbrella iis defiected;from its in ,fiexedposition. I

Patented Apr. 2, 1935' "UNITED "PATENr. oFFice] M UMBRELLA f; Frank Kahn,-Philadelphia, Pa. V 1 {Application July 21, 1931,.Serial:No. 552,130

e r e zrolaims. (01. 135-46) I I This invention relates to an umbrella or sun joint with respectgto. the stick, the frame, and :shade, and relates more par-ticularlytoanumthe cover, the cover-and frame being in section.

' br'ella having a flexible joint in the upper portion Figure2 is-a diagrammatic viewof my umbrella oft-he stick. i a is p showing the resilient joint .in flexed position.

,When ahorizontal gust ofwindstrikes anum- -Figure3 is a sectionalxview of the resilient .5 brella and exerts a-lateralpressure on the outer universal joint of .a', hollow cylindrical umbrella convex/covered surface*whilefthe=handleof the stick in unflexed position. L. stick is heldjin the hand of thepuser, a turning FigureA is a sectional view of ltheresilientiuni- .momentgabout' the handleisi-exerted by the versal joint of a hollow cylindrical umbrellarstick normal position by the turningflmoment of the Figure 5 is aisectional view of a modified :resil- :wind, so that the windggainsaccess 'totheinner ient joint. l concave. surface of the cover, arrelativelytreinen- Figure 6 is a secti nalvview-of a modified flexing dous force is exerted byjthefwind, tending to-tear member.

- the umbrella from L-tl le %grasp..-.oI the :user or to Figure 7 is a sectiontaken onthelinejT- lof 15 turn it inside out. Thishction';takesplace "so Figure 6., t i rapidlywhen a sudden gustof-w-ind' arises that Referring to thedrawing, I show an umbrella -l the umbrella frame mayxbe broken or the .cover construction having a covering A,- disposed over may be tornbefore the umbrellacan -be steadied. wa fiexibletruss frame-supported by a two element I My invention, while permittingthe umbrella. to stick or:shaft, ;generally designated as'B; the lip-.20-

be carriedin the,ordinary'manner, toprevent per element being designated C :and thexlower rain' or sunshine from striking the person, utilizes element D, the elements C andD being united by the, force of the wind itself :to prevent a sudden a resilient universal-joint E. w 4' y -g-ust rein-reaching the inner concave surface of 'The'coveringh is disposed over the rihstruc- V :35 the cover, andthus efiectually preventsthe umture which is attached to the upper elementirof brella from beingjolown inside out. the stick 0, andto a runner sleeveqlafl whichjfits' object of the-:invention-is'to provide a conclosely or snugly-0n andisr'slidableialong' .thelstick struction for an -umbrellafl;whichwi-llprevent or .-B, Tor the purpose of opening and closing .the minimize thepossi-bil-ity of the umbrellabeing umbrella. I

:blown inside out or torn from .the grasp of the 1 :Thestick onshaft B is composed .of th'e'.x wofifl.

,person' holding the-umbrella, bythe wind. elements C and D, which are' united by thunir With this-objectin view my invention embodies, versal self-aligning joint E, to providetaninte- 'an umbrella, frame; and :cover supported on a ...gral stick capable ofibeing flexed at thefjoint E.

short stick which interfits with an extension of I The hollow cylindrical element C. of the L-stick 3.5 the stick utilized as :a-handle for the umbrella, has, at the end which-joins the element D, aball having a self-aligning resilient universal-(joint lportion I 2,.ofthe joint E, from which a cylindribetween the stick and theextension handle. ,The r cal extension I4 projects. Thejball portion I2 is joint is provided so-that as-a-gust or wind strikes supported in a socket bearing fliyof the hollow the umbrella horizontally the windward side of cylindricalelement Dofuthe stick. Y. Attachedfito ai the cover will move ginward towa-rd the-handle, the inner "periphery of the .stick- D, immediately :40

thus reducing the turning moment and renderbelow the'socket hearing, are a plurality ofp'owingtheumbrellaeasier to handle aswell as shielderful restoring springs lBzequispaced-abciut the ingthebearer moreeffectively irom the windand inner periphery of D... The 'said springs 1 8 imw n l i Q l p pinge' upon the ball joint extension 14'; to con- A further object is to provide animproveddestrain the elements .0 and D of the stick inalign- 45 vice of the character described, of simple, cheap, ,meht under normal externally unstressed condi-V andleflicient construction having a maximum effitions. The relative 'proportion'sof theballjoint .ciency P I a; extension i4 and thesprings H) are such that" With these and other objects in-view, my invenwedging of the said extension :M between'the )0 tion consists in the,following-details'of construcsprings I8, when the joint .isrflexed, will not occur. 5

tion andconibination of parts, as. will-be more The elements C and D of thelstick do not fit I :fully understood from the following specification flush, but are separatedybyj a space :to permit and drawing; in which: a flexingatthe joint E; a f Figurel'is a diagrammaticview'of; myi-um- In the construction illustrated inFigure 5,32.

lorella showing the relative Position ofthe flexing -cylindrical .flexing member 20 extends-Iro'mtthe 5 60 g My invention therefore isnot to be restricted "except-insofar as is necessitated by the priorart 7 well downward into ballfportion 22 of the resilient universal joint E element D; 7 7 p Thharfdened annular-ring guide 24 is fitted kihto the hollow cylindrical stickelementD, and surrounds the'lower end of V the flexing member This ring guide 24 acts as asupport for 1 the flexing member 20, the upper edge 25 acting as a fulcrumr The surface 26 ofthe ring guide. 24. is [cut back conicallyto provide freedom of sliding motion of 'the-flexing memberlfl when 7 When the'bendingmoment at'the joint E,'is" v s'ufliciently great to bend the flexing member 20 I 115 without shock. V V

' fjointif'o'r use in annmb'rella" stick is shown in .into 'contactwith the internal wall of thef's tick element D,-additional resisting moment {is en countered, yieldingly tending.tovpreventiurther J joint flexure' andlimiting the @fiexing motion For practical purposes the joint E, together With its extension rnemb'er 2ll can} beima'de up of sections threaded togetherri The ball" portion22 'of element C has an upper screvvfthreaded T extension 28," fittingfinto 1' Iaplug 30, which in turnisflttedinto the element 50 by 'mea'ns'of screw threads. 7 1

' The socket portion of the-joint E is constructed of screvv threaded elements 32 and 34 having spherical concavesurfaces; l r A modification of my self-aligning universal Figures 6 and 7. In thismodification the flexing lm'ember '36 isj square in cross section, and the j ring guide 38 is provided with a square aperture, so thatxrelative axial-rotation;of the elements C giand D of the joint is prevented. Althoughshown a's square the cross section'oi the flexing -ni'em- 1 :this'specification where I have used theber extension 36 of V the ,ball'portion of the joint disk may be of any'polygonal shapei Y This modi ,er utiIiZing devicenot in axial alignmentther'e- .term.unflexediposition fof'the universal joint,1 -I

Furthermore, although jillustrated; and describedias applied to'anum- 1 5 5.

,mean that positionwher'ein the sections'ofithe shaft or stick connected bythe joint arein -axial 6 alignment. :Any; other position -'of the f sections ofpthe shaft-or stick will placethe joint iniaf flexed: position.

invention has been ibrella'stickto more adequately protect the bearer of the umbrella and towprevent; the force of thegtvirid turning the umbrella. inside out, its

use is" not limited to, that purposaabut-rnay also :be. utilized forimanyother' purposes as; for example, to measure the force'of the wind.

'7 and byI-the spirit of '.the';appended claims.

' leis 1 pl. -Anjumbrellavcomprisinga stick. on i' whicha irrame 'mounted, a sell-aligning universal joint Vain thestick, itoipe'rmit the section of stick on .Which the frame ism'ounted to tilt relative'to the a'remaining'section of the stick and to align the .twosections oithe stick. r I

2; The combination of an umbrellaanda stick,

7 said stick being composed of two parts connected 1* 13. In a shaftfa the hollow cylindrical stick, 7

i that closely fitting sleeves" ;or collarsmay be readily passed along'the shaft over said joint" "when in unfiexed position. H H

' 4'. In a'universal joint havingytwo joined e1e'-: i

jjointwhen in unilexedposition. a

said joint; I

'1- '11.; A self-aligninguniversal-Joint 1 1 two elementsjand comprising a ball attachedto Y one of said elements; a" cooperating socket bearin'g attached to the ;other;;of said elements,*- a

flexing member or polygonal cross-section af fixed to and extendingirom said ballin a directionaway -from the element to whichs'aid ball self-aligning resilient universal joint entirely within said shaft, said mm atn ingfla uniform external cross-sectional shape so ments, a self-aligning flexing member ior said rotate with respect to] each-other about their respective Jaxes; i

5; An umbrellahaving stick and a runner joint associated with stick, said: runner sleeve being slidable along the stick over said -"'sleeve"s1idab1e thereon, a; self -aligning universal .6. An umbrella having a twoapart stickand I arunnersleeve slidable thereon, aself-aligning universal"joint connecting the parts of the stick,

slidable along :the stick over said runner sleeve -'7. A windl-break having a covering and 'astick' I r 10. n a lf-aligning universal joint eal,

affixed to and extending from said'ball" ina di- -and a isen-aligning universal joint in the 'stick.

r 1,8. Ina sectional umbrellashaft, aself-aligningl V universal'j'oint and ne'ans to prevent relative 7 rotation'of tlie sections' oftheshaftr j "a 9.' A self-aligning'quniversal jointconneetihg V 7 two elements and comprising; a ballattachedto. a one of said elements,' 'a' fsock et bearing, attached *to the otheroi' said elemen s, aeylindricalfextensiori projecting' ,fro'mthe said ball in "a direcr --tion1away from the element toiwhichjthe ball is -f attached; and a plurality of spjrings secured'each 'at one. end-:td the element to which 'theesocket I bearingis attached, :said springs 'impingingjf upon 7 saidcylindrical extension;

'{ing' two eIementsQa,ball attachedlto one oi said 5 elements, a's'ocket bearing attached to the other 1 j V "'of said lelementala cylindrical flexingFmember m rection awa rr' m the element to 'whichsaid ball is attached, and a'guide secured to the elementto. 7 which; said socket bearing is attached, said flex-g 1mg member interfltting withaan'd benig supported at its free end tvithin' said guide;

connecting j is attached, and a guide securedto the element member int'e'rfitting with and being supported j at I free-"endWithinsaidguide.v

1-12, In combination pa shaft comprising a-plu-f;

into and out ofaxial alignmentgand means-snugly fitting and slidable on said'section's'fromone to the other thereof when; said 'sections are Fin 1 *axial'alignment;

13: In combinationrla shaft comprising af pluirality oi sections,each oi' said sections having I H the same cross-sectional"dimensions, a selfz by aself-aligning universal joint located within r -.'the stick.

aligning universal joint located entirely within tions are movable relative tov each other into; and

rality of'sections-each oifsaid sections'havingtlie' g same cross-sectional dimensionsfa,selffaligning Vuniversaljointconnecting said sections whereby said "section'sfare movable relative t'o e'ach other-65 r and connectingsaidsections whereby,sald secout of axial alignment, and means snuglyfitting and slidable on said, s'ections from one tothe other thereof when said sections are" in axial alignment. y

14. In combination, a shaft, and a self-aligning universal joint entirely within said shaft. j

15. In an umbrella, a stick comprising a pair of sections, said sections having a uniform outside diameter, a self-aligning universal joint located entirely within'said stickand connecting said sections, and a runner sleeve mounted on said stick and adapted to be slid from one of said sections to the other. J

16. An umbrella having a two-part stick and a runner sleeve slidable thereon, .a selfr-aligning I universal joint connecting the parts of said stick,

thereof will cause said covering to move withrrespect to said support. 1

19. In an umbrella, a protective covering and a support therefor, said covering and support being normally concentric, and means as-. ,sociated with said support and separatetherefrom whereby the application of a force to the covering laterally thereof will cause said cover-- centric, and means associated with said support and separate, therefrom whereby, whenia. force is applied to said cover at said overhanging portion, said cover will be deflected to a' position eccentric with respect to said support.

21'. In an umbrella, a resilient universalv joint in the stick, said joint being located in said stick so that it is above the center of gravity of the projection of the covering on a planep'arallel'to said 

